Claudia Belli

Biotechnology applied to cultural heritage: biorestoration of frescoes using viable bacterial cells and enzymes

Aims:  To set up and employ, for the biorestoration of cultural heritage (altered frescoes), an advanced and innovative biotechnology method based on the sequential use of whole viable bacterial cells and specific enzymes.

Controlling grape must fermentation in early winemaking phases: the role of electrochemical treatment

Aims: To contribute to an understanding of the phenomena related to the effect of low electric current (LEC) in grape must fermentation during laboratory and pilot plant scale winemaking, with selected co‐culture yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain 404 and Hanseniaspora guilliermodii strain 465).

Scaling-up in industrial winemaking using low electric current as an alternative to sulfur dioxide addition.

Aims:  To better understand the outcome of employing low electric current (LEC) technology as a new preservation and alternative in wine technology, and to contribute to its development. It is used in industrial‐scale winemaking with commercial yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) during the grape must fermentation.

Chemical and Biological Combined Treatments for the Removal of Pesticides from Wastewaters

The combination of chemical oxidation (Fenton reaction) and biological treatment processes is a promising technique aiming to reduce recalcitrant wastewater loads. Preliminary tests were carried out on two widely used toxic and non-biodegradable pesticides, namely, Dazomet and Fenamiphos. The chemical reaction was employed as a pre-treatment step for the conversion of the substrates into oxygenated intermediates that were easily removed by means of a final biological treatment. In the combined action, the mineralisation activity of a selected microbial consortium was used to degrade residual volatile and non-volatile organic compounds into CO2 and biomass.